The Beatles Collection Highlights

John Lennon's 1979 Yamaha Upright Piano

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum/Design Photography

In 1979, John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent part of the summer at their friend Sam Green’s house on Fire Island, New York. Yoko thought the creative atmosphere at Green’s house would help inspire Lennon to write songs for their new album, so she had this piano shipped to the beach house. Lennon played this piano often and wrote several of the songs from Double Fantasy on this piano. The candle wax melted on the piano while he was playing. John and Yoko gave the piano to Sam Green in 1979.